The construction and maintenance of pipeline systems, such as those used for the transport of large volumes of petrochemicals, typically involves moving of many segments of pipeline that are very heavy. These heavy pipeline pieces often require use of heavy machinery, such as a hoist or crane, capable of mechanically lifting the pieces for installation or removal.
Pipeline flanges are examples of heavy pipeline connection components that can be attached to an end of a pipe. The flanges are typically connected either to an end face of a pipe segment, around a peripheral edge of the pipe segment end or within an internal end portion of the pipe segment. These flanges are usually annular and typically have a round peripheral shape and are desirably brought into proper placement at the end of the pipeline where bolt holes in the flange, pipeline and/or an adjacent flange are aligned. While putting the flange into position for attachment to the pipeline segment, it is desirable to provide the best possible alignment to minimize or eliminate the risk of leaking fluid after the flange has been attached to the pipeline.
Traditional attachment methods can be time consuming and inaccurate. They may also not provide a desired level of safety. For example, in one traditional approach a metal piece is welded to the flange, which serves to provide a loop or eye for attachment to a hoist strap or chain of a crane. The welding of the attachment piece and its removal adds a considerable amount of time to the installation process, and moreover does not necessary provide desired maneuverability during installation. Another traditional approach is to place a hoist strap or chain through a flange bolt hole. This, however, is not a particularly safe procedure and there is risk the hoist strap or chain may break. Further, the strap or the chain must also be removed from the bolt hole prior to placing and securing the flange to the pipeline with bolts. This method also does not provide desired maneuverability during installation. In traditional hoisting procedures the flange may also move in unwanted directions during the installation process, thus making installation difficult.
Another concern regarding traditional flange lifting apparatus is that the heavy weight of the flanges may cause parts of the lifting apparatus to bend or warp. Pieces of the lifting apparatus could be damage or destroyed. If this happens, the installation process could be compromised, resulting in a faulty installation.